Priyanka Gandhi Vadra: Political career and early life

File Photo/PTI

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is the incumbent General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh within the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the central decision-making body of the Indian National Congress.

She comes from the prominent Nehru-Gandhi family that has been a significant force in Indian politics for decades.

Priyanka is the daughter of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and she is the sister of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

In the initial phase of her political journey, Priyanka downplayed her intentions to actively participate in politics but contributed to the election campaigns of her mother Sonia in Raebareli and her brother Rahul in Amethi, both constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

Her formal entry into politics occurred when she was appointed as the Congress party's General Secretary for the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh on January 23, 2019. Subsequently, on September 11, 2020, she assumed the role of General Secretary in charge of the entire Uttar Pradesh.

Born on January 12, 1972, Priyanka Gandhi attended Modern School and the Convent of Jesus and Mary in New Delhi.

She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, and a master's degree in Buddhist studies.

In her personal life, Priyanka is married to Robert Vadra, a prominent businessman in New Delhi. The couple has faced scrutiny over alleged irregularities in land deals with real estate developer DLF.

They have two children, and Priyanka is known for her adherence to Buddhist philosophy, practicing Vipassana, a form of meditation that emphasizes achieving peace of mind.